It has long been known for a telephone customer's premises to be connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) via analog lines, e.g., a copper wire loop, etc. A customer premises may be associated with one or more telephone numbers, and one or more telephones may be installed at the customer premises. However, a telephone generally cannot be moved from one customer premises to another, i.e., from one location to another, without becoming associated with a new telephone number, or without associating a telephone number with a new customer premises. Accordingly, at present, telephone customers generally may only make and receive calls using a telephone associated with a telephone number within a particular customer premises, and to avail themselves of services associated with the telephone number, when physically present in the customer premises. This is unfortunate, because it means that a telephone customer is unable to take advantage of subscribed for services when not present within a customer premises, such as a flat rate long-distance plan, a flat rate local calling plan, call forwarding, call waiting, voice mail, etc.
It is also known to transfer voice communications, e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls, from a packet switched network to a PSTN. However, the conversion of a call from digital to analog, or vice versa, and the accompanying translation of signaling protocols respectively used for digital and analog calls, generally takes place at a softswitch or gateway between the PSTN and the packet switched network. At present, telephones or other voice communications devices within customer premises may be attached to a packet switched network or a PSTN, but not both. It is presently not possible for a user having a telephone line connected to the PSTN to use this telephone number, and any subscribed-for functionality associated with the telephone number, by accessing a packet switched network. Accordingly, it is not presently possible for a user of a packet switched network to take advantage of the user's line to a PSTN other than by using a telephone or other device plugged into the line, nor is possible for a user subscribing to a PSTN line to take advantage of the portability and flexibility of being able to access the PSTN line from anywhere there is a connection to a packet switched network such as the Internet.